Bangladesh applauded for decreasing fertility rates
Thursday, 2 April 2009
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) applauded Bangladesh government and its people to help decreasing the country's total fertility rate in last 10 years through adopting successful family planning programmes, reports UNB.
"The result of a very successful national family planning programme is that the total fertility rate, after years of stagnation, has now further declined to an average of 2.7 children per woman, a 20 per cent decrease in last 10 years," UNFPA Country Representative Arthur Erken said while addressing an inaugural function.
The launching ceremony of the country's first "National Communication Strategy for Family Planning and Reproductive Health" was held in the city Wednesday.
Health Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali attended the programme as the chief guest with Family Planning Director General Mohammad Abdul Qayyum in the chair.
The UNFPA representative stressed the need for making the permanent contraceptive methods popular in the country to help reducing over fertility rate.
"We've to avoid unnecessary stock-outs of contraceptives, beef-up and invest additional resources in our outreach programme to hard-to-reach population," he said, adding that women should not get married before the legal age.
Speaking at the function, Skeikh Altaf Ali said the government would formulate the action plan in light of the strategy paper made for family planning and reproductive health.
"The result of a very successful national family planning programme is that the total fertility rate, after years of stagnation, has now further declined to an average of 2.7 children per woman, a 20 per cent decrease in last 10 years," UNFPA Country Representative Arthur Erken said while addressing an inaugural function.
The launching ceremony of the country's first "National Communication Strategy for Family Planning and Reproductive Health" was held in the city Wednesday.
Health Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali attended the programme as the chief guest with Family Planning Director General Mohammad Abdul Qayyum in the chair.
The UNFPA representative stressed the need for making the permanent contraceptive methods popular in the country to help reducing over fertility rate.
"We've to avoid unnecessary stock-outs of contraceptives, beef-up and invest additional resources in our outreach programme to hard-to-reach population," he said, adding that women should not get married before the legal age.
Speaking at the function, Skeikh Altaf Ali said the government would formulate the action plan in light of the strategy paper made for family planning and reproductive health.